


This is Halloween

by spidey_owl



Category: She-Ra and the Princesses of Power (2018)
Genre: 31 Days Of Halloween, Canon Gay Relationship, F/F, F/M, Halloween, I Don't Even Know, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Short & Sweet, currently trying to catch up lol, jumps between time lines, mainly catradora, prob mentions of shadow weaver, some are alternate universe, some are canon universe
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-10-01
Updated: 2020-10-11
Packaged: 2021-03-07 22:02:28
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 8
Words: 8,358
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26764765
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/spidey_owl/pseuds/spidey_owl
Summary: Going to be a collection of short Halloween drabbles - Halloween exist on Etheria because why not. Going to try and do one a day (31 day challenge). Please send me prompts if you want. Currently following prompts posted, pulling from many, not sticking to just one. More tags will be added as more drabbles publish. (rating may change)
Relationships: Adora/Catra (She-Ra), Bow/Glimmer (She-Ra), Entrapta/Hordak (She-Ra), Mermista/Sea Hawk (She-Ra), Perfuma/Scorpia (She-Ra)
Kudos: 28





	1. Candy

**Author's Note:**

> update dates on ao3 are kinda broken right now, chapters are literally each day, so they count the day of the month lol (started Oct 1st)

"Lights out!" The commander shouted as he went from barrack to barrack. Cadets scrambled around, jumping into their designated beds, climbing onto top bunks, and quickly closing their eyes. The lights shut with a loud click, though due to the hallway light and the door always remaining open, the bay wasn't completely dark. 

This didn't matter for some of the cadets. Their races gave them some enhanced abilities, and could see in darker settings. For Catra, this was no trouble at all. She had no plans of going to sleep just yet. Crawling to the side of the bed, she peaked down at the bottom bunk and smirked. "Hey, Adora." 

Turning over, Adora smirked up at her friend and sat up. "What's up?" She asked, already knowing what was about to happen. 

"Do you have to ask?" Catra teased, quickly turning and hopping down from the top bunk. "Annual Halloween snack raid! We've only been doing it since forever." Her hands rested on her hips as she spoke. 

"Before or after we scare Kyle?" Adora asked, quickly tossing her blanket aside and standing up. "And we're only fourteen, Catra. That's not forever." Adora teased. 

Rolling her eyes, Catra reached forward and grabbed her friends hand with a giggle. "Come on!" She pulled her along out of the bay area. 

The two tried to stay as quiet as possible, but their competitive nature quickly had them in snickering fits as they challenged each other to races and obstacle course-like task. The hanging wires and tubes were always no problem for Catra. But Adora struggled through them and fell a few times, causing them to hide in closets or behind beams as patrols walked by to investigate the sounds. 

Finally they made it to the kitchen and quickly dived under the counters to find the treats that would be handed out at dinner tomorrow. "Oh, they got the good stuff this year." Adora exclaimed as she held up a bag of sugar snack rations. "Haven't had these for a few years." 

"Nice!" Catra smirked, looking through the other goodies. "Jackpot." She pulled a large bag from the back of a cabinet and held it up. "Spooky themed sticky puffs!" 

Adora's eyes lit up with excitement. "Yes! Alright, let's get back to the barrack." Arms full of candied snacks, the two made their way back to their bunks. 

They both climbed onto Catra's top bunk and put the snacks in the middle of the bed. The two wasted no time diving into the sweet foods they only get once a year. "I wish they would give us these for dessert every day." Catra mused as she picked up another treat. 

Nodding, Adora tried to unwrap a snack quietly as everyone else was already asleep. If anyone saw the two leave, they didn't care. It was normal for them to sneak out after the lights had been turned off, doing whatever. Finally getting it open, Adora held it out to her friend. "Try this, open your mouth." 

"What is it?" Catra eyed the other suspiciously. 

Sighing with a chuckle, Adora kept her arm extended but hid the snack in her hand. "What? You don't trust me? Just open your mouth." 

Still skeptical, Catra did as she was told and opened her mouth. Adora reached forward and fed her the treat, her finger slightly hitting Catra's lip as she pulled back and Catra instinctively licked her lip afterwards. The treat itself was smooth and sweet, making her vocally sigh in content. "Mm, that's really good." 

Adora blushed at the reaction and looked down, quickly grabbing another treat and popping it in her mouth. "These are my favorite." She tried to say nonchalantly. "Wanna go scare Kyle now?" 

If Catra was confused by Adora's sudden shift in comfort, she didn't make it noticable. Instead, she smirked and gave a single nod. "Let's do it." 

They climbed down from the top bunk, threw white sheets over themselves, and giggled as they rushed over to their teammates bunk. 


	2. Pumpkins

"This year's harvest is looking fantastic!" Perfuma boasted as she entered the cozy sitting area of Brightmoon where everyone else had gathered. A fire blazed in the fireplace and offered a soft glow in the room as the only source of light. 

Bow smiled as he took Glimmers hand and gave it a small squeeze. "Maybe we can find a good sized one so you can make that pie?" He asked with hopeful eyes. 

"Sure. But we have to get Wrong Hordak to help. He's the best kitchen assistant I've ever had." Glimmer smiled and squeezed his hand in return. 

"What pie?" Adora asked from where she currently sat, playing with Catra's growing hair who was resting on her lap. The group had grown extremely comfortable in showing small gestures of affection, though it took Catra a while to allow Adora to do such tender things in front of others. 

Glimmer sat up straight and eyed her friend in disbelief. "You're been out of the Fright Zone for how long now? Surely you've eaten pumpkin pie?" When Adora shook her head, Glimmer sat back with a sigh and shook her head. "I shouldn't be surprised. Did I really think they served pumpkin pie with rations dinner on Halloween in the Fright Zone?" 

"Is that a rhetorical question or?" Perfuma asked as she took a seat by the fire. 

"No! It wasn't a question at all... just, nevermind." The queen chuckled and leaned against her partner.

"Pumpkin picking!" Scorpia shouted excitedly as she entered the room. "Oh it's gonna be great. And then we'll carve little faces in them and put candles. At least that's what Perfuma told me." She sat down next to her girlfriend with joy. 

"That sounds like fun." Adora smiled, looking down. "What do you think?" 

Catra shrugged her shoulders, eyes closed as she relished in the soft touches of Adora's fingers combing through her hair. "Whatever."

Adora pouted before looking up at the group. "We're in." 

Perfuma shot up from where she sat and clapped her hands. "Great! I'll meet you all at the meadows tomorrow afternoon. Come on, Scorpia, let's go water them one last time before bed." 

Scorpia, who had just sat down moments ago, reluctantly got up but smiled nonetheless. "Sounds good, see you all tomorrow!" 

The crew retired to their beds soon after.   
  


_  
  


The sun was at its high point by the time they arrived at the meadows. Adora used her hand to cover the sun from her eyes and peered over the vast land that carried a heavy tan, orange, and green color pattern. "Are the big orange things pumpkins?" She asked, looking to Bow for confirmation. 

Nodding, Bow walked into the field and picked one up. "Yep! This bad boy right here will soon be delicious pie. Well, not this exact one...but one of these will." He placed the pumpkin back down. 

Laughing, Glimmer took his hand and pulled him along. "Come on. We have to find one for pie and one to carve." 

Scorpia waved to them as she approached. "Perfuma is already in the field. She said to go ahead and pick out whatever you want." 

"Thanks, Scorpia!" Adora smiled before taking Catra's hand and pulling her into a row of harvest. "What do you think? Big or medium sized?" 

Catra looked around on either side, looking over the pumpkins with interest. "Why is small not an option?" She wondered out loud. 

Adora turned to look at her girlfriend. "Well, they said we would have to carve a face into it. So it'd have to be big enough for that. Oh! Look at this one." She pulled the other over to a large pumpkin and bent down to examine it. 

"Hm, I don't know. It might be too big. Lot of area to cover, which means it may not come out right." Catra offered her opinion. 

"Well look at you, Ms. Artist." Adora teased, satisfied that she got a blush from Catra but sad that she pulled her hand away to cross her arms. "Alright, let's keep looking." 

The two spent the better half of two hours in the field looking through the pumpkins. Finally, they both found one they agreed on and Catra cut the vines so Adora could carry it back to the entrance area. Bow and Glimmer had picked out their carving and pie pumpkins, and the squad headed back to the castle. 

With the pie baking, Glimmer grabbed some carving tools and gave a small lesson on how to clean out the pumpkin and then methods of carving. Catra was reluctant to stick her hand inside, deeming she'd never get the guts out from under her nails. So Adora cleaned the inside while Catra came up with a design. 

"Here, Arrow Boy said this is the most traditional." Catra slid the paper over. 

"Why are it's eyes triangles?" Adora asked, but when Catra shrugged, she did the same. "Alright, well you're carving it then!" She handed her the knife. 

Taking the offered utensil, Catra stuck her tounge out but set to work on carving. It was a bit of a hassle, and eventually she set the knife aside and clawed at it. Once done, she added the scratches on the side and smiled. "For the aesthetic. Happy Halloween." 

"It looks wonderful, babe." Adora wrapped her arms around Catra's waist and rested her chin on her shoulder. "Remember when we were kids and we would dress as ghost to scare Kyle?" 

"Remember that time we did it and Rogelio drop kicked us both cause he jumped into action once he heard Kyle scream?" Catra replied with a laugh. "Never had these in the Fright Zone though." She motioned to the pumpkin. 

Adora sighed in contentment. "Where would they even have grown them in the Fright Zone? No space! But it doesn't matter. It's our first pumpkin carving." 

"Once carved, they're called jack-o'-lanterns." Bow added as he wiped his hands of pumpkin. "Here, put this candle in it and then light it." 

Taking the offered small candle, Catra stuck it into the pumpkin and then grabbed the matches on the table. As soon as it was lit, the two gapped at it in awe. "Wow, that's super cool looking." Catra said, completely mesmerized.

"Yeah, pretty cool." Adora agreed. Something about it was soothing to look at, as the flame flicked and the area carried a chill temperature. 

"Pies done!" Glimmer announced as she teleported into the room. 

Everyone was so used to it now, they simple took a seat at the table and cut into the pie. Adora dived in while Catra examined and sniffed it.

"This is the most delicious thing I've ever eaten." Adora demanded. 

"You say that about every new food you try." Catra teased. 

"Because all food is delicious against ration bars. But pumpkin might have a win." Adora defended as she cut herself another slice. 

The best friend squad laughed and joked as they finished off the pie, the candles burning in their jack-o'-lanterns until they blew out. 


	3. Hiss

It happened almost every time, and Adora couldn't get enough. She'd hide in the most obvious places, but Catra still jumped when Adora revealed herself with a yell. Sometimes she'd be in some creepy mask her and Bow put together. Other times it was just Adora with her arms up, fingers curled to act as claws, and knees bent to seem stronger. 

Each time, Catra would hiss in defense and Adora would end up in tears laughing. With Halloween around the corner, Adora was ruthless with her jump scares and now Catra walked the halls of Brightmoon castle on edge. After every meeting or meal, Catra was reluctant to let her girlfriend out of her sight. Doing so would mean giving the opportunity to scare her. 

Even though Catra wasn't a princess, she attended the meetings. They were mainly boring, talk of resources, distribution, rebuilding, housing the clones and what that seemed to entail. Currently they were going over the harvest and means to distribute into the Crimson Waste, Catra zoned out. 

Scorpia tapped her shoulder to wake her when the meeting was over. "Hey there, Wild Cat. Think it's time you headed to bed." She cooed, offering her friend a warm smile. 

With a yawn, Catra nodded and stood up from her chair. She looked around, noticing almost everyone was gone. "Where's Adora?" Catra asked more to herself. 

"Oh she left with Huntara a while ago!" Entrapta answered, a little too loudly but she didn't really grasp what an inside voice was. 

Brows creasing, Catra turned to the large doors and started walking. "Pfft, whatever. She was talking about the Crimson Waste earlier. They probably left to talk over the plans or something in more depth with Sparkles." Catra muttered, again to herself. 

She idly walked through the hallways, people passing by and paying her no mind. The guards stood at their post, backs straight and eyes unseen as they stalked you. Soon the hallways grew empty as she entered into the more private area of the castle where the bedrooms were. 

Her ear twitched as a sound similar to shoes scraping the floor was heard behind her. She turned quickly, but no one was there. With a sigh, she turned around again and continued walking. With a yawn, Catra let herself relax. "She's still talking strategy, no reason to get worked up." Catra told herself. 

Reaching the bedroom door, Catra opened it and gave it a quick once over before entering and closing the door. Adora was nowhere to be seen, so Catra decided to take a shower and get into more comfortable clothes for bed. Grabbing her sleepwear, she headed to the bath and was happy it always seemed to magically be ready with bubbles and clean water. 

Climbing in, she let herself relax into the warm soothing water and rested her head against the rounded back. It wasn't long before she lulled into a comfortable nap, the bubbles adding a relaxing aroma to the bath. 

Unclear how much time she'd been asleep for, Catra woke when she heard the door close. Stretching, Catra sat upright in the bath and looked around. "Adora?" She called out, but no one answered. Even though the room was dark except the light coming from the outside, Catra could see perfectly fine. There was no one in the room. Maybe the door was closing because someone left? She doubted it. If Adora had entered, she'd have woken Catra up to go to bed. 

"I swear, if you scare me and I drown, I will haunt you." Catra said into the empty room. 

Placing her hands on either side of the tub, Catra made to stand. But it again happened quickly, while she was concentrating on her balance to pull herself up. A hand grasped hers, Adora hopped up from the side of the tub and shouted. And of course it happened again, Catra slipped back into the water but quickly pulled her arms into a defensive stance and hissed. 

Adora laughed as she stood to turn on the light. "It never fails!" She said through a laugh, wiping a tear from her eye. 

"Adora! Seriously?!" Catra shouted, lowering her hands and taking a deep breath to relax her pounding heart. With a groan, she stood from the rub and yanked her towel from the hook. "I can't believe you. I could literally have drowned." 

"You could not!" Adora defended in still a fit of laughter. "The tub is not that deep." 

Rolling her eyes, Catra dried off as best she could and pulled on her sleepwear. "Don't talk to me." She demanded, turning to the bed and sitting on her side as she grabbed the hairbrush from the nightstand. 

"Aw, don't be like that, Catra. I'm sorry." Adora crawled onto the bed, trying to stop her giggles from escaping. "It's just so satisfying that nothings changed. Well, a lot has changed. But that a good thing hasn't." She came to stop at her pillow and laid on her side, propped up with her elbow. 

Catra brushed through her hair and turned to look at Adora with a creased brow. "What are you talking about?"

Smiling in fondness, Adora swayed slightly from where she lay, thinking back on the memories. "When we were kids in the Fright Zone. It didn't need to be Halloween or anything like that. Anytime you got jump scared, you'd hiss. It was always so cute. When Halloween came around though, it always allowed for extra opportunities." She laughed, thinking of another moment. "You always got so mad. I got scratched so many times. But then we'd get into the treat bag we'd stolen and stay up all night telling ghost stories." 

Setting the brush down, Catra crawled onto the bed and pushed Adora onto her back, climbing on top to cradle her hips. Leaning down, she softly placed her hands on both of Adora's cheeks and kissed her. 

They kissed for a long moment before it was broken and Adora smirked. "Does that mean I'm forgiven?" 

Catra trailed a sharp claw down Adora's cheek, delighted in the soft gasp it extracted. She didn't apply enough pressure to break skin, but it would leave a red mark for maybe an hour. "Only if you come with me to steal the Halloween treats from the kitchen. I saw them making cookies and cakes earlier for tomorrow's harvest festival." 

"Deal." Adora snickered, and the two rushed to the kitchen, giggling as they raided the treats and headed back to their room, staying up late into the night telling ghost stories. 


	4. Witchy

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> this one is an AU

Adora read the ingredients over and over again, but something seemed off about it. She knew that frogs feet were definitely a part of the potion, but bat brains didn't seem accurate. Becoming a potions master was hard work, and the extra courses she was taking helped her in spotting discrepancies within the textbooks. 

Currently she was working on the latest homework assignment given by the instructor in her kitchen of the small cottage. She read it over again and was positive that the potion in the book was outdated and wrong. With a sigh, she picked up her quill and dipped it into ink, crossing out the bat brains text. 

"Wings. I bet its bat wings. But one or two?" She mused over the thought, placing the quill down and idly picking up the wooden spoon to stir the contents already in the boiling cauldron on the stove. 

The door to the cottage opened, Catra stepping in and shaking the umbrella. "Hey, Adora. I'm back!" She called into the open area, placing the umbrella beside the door to dry. "Thunderstorm in the daylight. You know what that means!" She chimed, walking into the kitchen and placing a quick kiss on her wife's cheek. 

Adora hummed in response before shaking her head. "Wait, what? What does that mean?" She asked as she stopped stirring and placed the wooden spoon back onto the counter. 

Catra shifted her weight onto one hip and placed her hands on them in mock disappointment. "Oldest superstition! It means a witch is getting married." 

"Superstition you say?" Adora chided with a smirk. "It literally thunderstormed while sunny on our wedding day." 

"And it was the perfect witch wedding." Catra concluded, moving to sit on the small stool. "How goes the academy homework?" 

Adora sighed in response. "I know this potion is incorrect in the book. This recipe is so old and outdated. The ingredients don't grow or nurture the same anymore. I'm trying to find out what to replace certain things with to make it work." She explained, looking into the boiling cauldron again. 

Catra listened, her tail softly swaying back and forth. She loved hearing Adora talk about a potion. There was such a deep interest in her tone, the determination to get it right. "You'll figure it out, I'm sure. These courses are meant to challenge you. Won't become a master potion maker overnight." 

Nodding, Adora turned to face her wife and leaned against the counter. "I've finished the others that are going to be tested. It's this last one I can't figure out. Bat brains don't do well in any potion. Especially with pieces of frog, snake, or any other creature. It goes better with plant based potions." Adora rambled as her thoughts raced. 

"Slow down there. I think you may be overthinking it." Catra mused, resting her chin in her palm. "Maybe it was simply a typo."

"Huh, you know I hadn't thought about that." Adora turned quickly to look back at the potion's use and chuckled. "I think you're right. It's not a bat, its rat. That makes sense. Rats are extremely smart, and using their brains in this potion just makes sense." 

"Using anything over a dead man's toe makes sense in my opinion." Catra scuffed. 

Adora grabbed a jar from the fridge and portioned out what she needed, adding it to the cauldron. It bubbled and gave a soft purple glow before the liquid seemed to come to a complete standstill. "It worked!" Adora shouted in excitement. 

"You're welcome." Catra got off the stool and walked over to look at the potion. 

With her close now, Adora wrapped her arms around Catra's torso and pulled her in for a soft kiss. She pulled away with a warm smile. "Where would I be without you?" Her voice was low and just as soft as the kiss.

Catra rested her forehead against Adora's and sighed. "Probably still dancing under the moonlight naked." She laughed when that earned her a soft slap on the shoulder. "I love you, dork."

"I love you too." Adora smiled, pulling her wife into a deep kiss. They stumbled out of the kitchen toward the single bedroom in the cottage, interlocked as the passion between them grew hotter. 

Adora forgot to put out the fire under the cauldron. 


	5. Ghost

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> this one is AU

"I can't believe I let you talk me into this." Catra whined as she followed Adora through the woods. Her flashlight had a soft yellow glow, despite not really needing it, it still offered a warm comfort in the otherwise creepy area. 

Adora laughed from where she walked briskly ahead of her friend. "What? You're always feening for a reason to get out. And with all Hallows Eve here, this is the perfect chance to see if the rumors are true." She moved her flashlight left and right. 

Rolling her eyes, Catra followed closely and tried to listen to their surroundings. "An old haunted house in the woods? Come on, Adora. It's scary stories the Sisters tell to keep us in line." A cracking sound behind them made her turn and search. "Though say they weren't just scary stories, we'd be walking right into danger." 

"Only one way to find out." Adora moved a low branch out the way and smiled. "Look! There it is!" 

Turning back around and rushing to catch up with her friend, Catra eyed what Adora was looking at. "Honestly? Didn't think it was real." She admitted, looking up at the large house. 

It was barely holding itself up. The windows were broken, shutters either hung off dangerously or had already fallen to the ground. Panels hung off the outside walls, the paint chipped and discolored. The front door had two boards that bad been hammered in an X shape to keep people out, but the door itself was off the screws and caved inward. 

Adora looked to her friend and smirked. "Think it's as haunted as the stories claim?" She asked, crossing her arms, clearly noticing Catra's slight fear of the place. 

"With what, ghost? No such thing." Catra hated how her voice betrayed her, and her eyes scanned every window. 

"Then come on. Let's go in." Adora challenged. 

Catra looked away from the house finally, her brows furrowed. "Excuse me?" She questioned, even having heard the words. 

Shaking her head, Adora pushed past the brush and towards the house. "Nothing to be afraid of, right? No such thing as ghost, you said it yourself." Her tone carried the tease with it as she heard Catra scramble behind her to keep close. "Don't worry, I'll protect you." 

"Shut up! I do not need your protection." Catra argued, pushing past the other to take the lead and climb the three steps towards the door. Each one groaned as it struggled to maintain even her lightweight. 

They both paused at the door, flashlights angled directly at it to glimpse inside. Most of what they could make out was dust and webs. There seemed to be a few things covered in what were once white sheets, but they've taken on a yellow color in the neglect. 

A single glance at each other and both had ducked under the wood to enter the house. Every step earned a creak of the wooden floorboards. Their flashlights barely offered much comfort as the whole place was a cloud of dust. "So, where do you think the ghosts are?" Adora asked, looking into what used to be a sitting area. 

"Probably hiding from your scary mug." Catra jokes, moving her light to shine up the staircase. "Alright, I'll be honest again. I'm not going upstairs." 

"What? Why not?" Adora asked, walking to stand beside her at the bottom of the stairs. 

Catra stomped her foot on the first step, getting a cracking sound in response. "That's why! This whole place is barely standing. Adding our weight? I'm not looking to break my leg falling through the stairs." 

A groan sounded from upstairs, causing both teens to go silent. 

Adora looked at the bottom step and then up the stairs. "Must have been a delayed reaction." 

Another sound, a low drawn out moan. 

"A-Adora? What's that?" Catra asked, pointing to an odd shaped dark figure at the top of the stairs. 

Looking up, Adora pointed her flashlight to the top. But with the light shining, there was nothing there. She moved the light away, and the dark figure reappeared a few steps down this time. Both of them took a step back with a gasp. "Okay, not upstairs." 

"Upstairs downstairs, none at all! We shouldn't be in here." Catra argued, grabbing Adora's hand. "Let's get out of here." 

Adora let herself be led out of the house, keeping her eye on the dark figure that stood on the stairs. Once out, the cool air was welcoming after all the dust. Back at the tree line, the two looked up at the house, seeing the black figure had moved to a top window and watched them as they left. 

"Do you think it was an actual ghost?" Adora asked as she moved a low branch out of the way so they could get through. 

Shrugging, Catra let out a deep breath, seeming to relax the farther they got. "No, ghost aren't real. I don't know what that was." She looked back to Adora and then down at their hands still intertwined. Letting go quickly, she took the lead back home. "Let's not do that again. Especially during this time of year. The energy shifts, that could have been anything." 

"Aw, were you scared?" Adora teased, moving to stand too close behind the other. 

Catra blushed and flashed the flashlight right in Adora's face. "No! But you would have gotten hurt going up those stairs. You're clumsy and far heavier than me. You'd have gone directly through one of those stairs and I'd have to explain to the Sisters why your leg is broken. You'd get away with it, I'd be on latrine duty the rest of the year!" 

Adora laughed at the outburst and pushed the light our of her face. "Whatever. It'd help with the plan to not get adopted for two more years. Then we'll turn eighteen, be kicked out, and run away together. Remember?" She blushed through a smile. 

Shaking her head, Catra continued to lead the way back, but took Adora's hand in her own once more. 


	6. Moon

Brightmoon was busier than it had been in a long time. Helpers moved about carrying decorations and many goods for the festival Guards stood at their post, eying everyone suspiciously. As more guests arrived, the hallways grew louder and louder and Castaspella took charge in handling the decoration groups as usual. 

Glimmer walked around and checked on every single detail. She was excited and wanted to make sure everything was perfect. Looking at the selected flower arrangement, she shook her head in disagreement. "I said dark purples, not blue tones. Change it." Her order was carried out quickly by the florist. 

"So, why does it matter again?" Adora asked, following her friend past the frantic florist and towards the dining room. 

Turning slightly to her taller friend, Glimmer smiled excitedly. "It's been so long since we've had the bright full moon over our kingdom. And its happening this year on Hallows Eve, which makes it even more special!" Leading them into the dining area, her eyes quickly scanned all the samples of the menu "This will do!" 

Adora grabbed a few samples and ate them happily as she continued to follow Glimmer out of the dinning area and towards the garden. "What about that makes it special?" Shoving a handful of mini cakes into her mouth, she eyed the group of decorators that rushed past them 

"It's called the blood moon." Bow chimed in as he joined them when they exited out of the castle into the garden. "The energy it pushes out onto the primal stones is massive Just like the eclipse for Mystacore, it can help transfer energy into spells and such." 

"And it makes for a great party!" Glimmer concluded. 

"You know," Entrapta chimed in excitedly, "it's not even red! Why call it a blood moon? It takes on orange tones because of the--" 

"Okay, geek princess, we don't need the explanation." Mermista walked over, crossing her arms. "Anyways, yeah we made it, don't make a fuss." 

Glimmer clapped her hands in excitement and ushered them all towards the gardens that had been greatly decorated for the event. "This is going to be so much fun! All the princesses in one area under the blood moon?! It's going to feel, for lack of a better word, magical!" 

Adora looked around at the guest, popping the last small snack she had snagged in her mouth. She scanned the area until she found what, or rather who, she was looking for. Moving through the mass of growing bodies, she made it to her destination. "Hey, Catra. Hi, Scorpia!" 

The two turned in unison and smiled at the new person in the group. Entrapta had made it back to them already, her hair wrapped around Hordak's waist to keep him from leaving. "Oh! Adora, there you are. I was just explaining to them about the color of the moon!" Entrapta announced, continuing her theory. 

"Hey, Adora." Catra greeted, wrapping an arm around Adora's waist and holding her beside her. 

"Scorpia, where is Perfuma?" Adora asked quietly, not wanting to interrupt Entrapta. 

Scorpia leaned down a bit to attempt a whisper as to also not interrupt their friend. "She's picking up Frosta. Seahawk gave her a lift. They should be here soon." 

"Scorpia!" Entrapta suddenly bursted, causing the taller woman to straighten up again seeming to stand at attention. "This is your first blood moon on Hallows Eve connected to the Black Garnet. How do you feel? Are you nervous? Tell me everything!" 

Adora chuckled at the scene before looking around. The staff had begun putting platters down on the tables that lined the area and Adora made to move in that direction before the hand around her waist tightened. She looked to her girlfriend with a sheepish smile. "What?! Can you blame me? It looks and smells delicious." She looked between Catra and the food platters.

Shaking her head but laughing, Catra waved to their friends and led Adora to the food. "You always did have an appetite." Catra mused as she grabbed a plate and started putting a bit of food on it. 

Following her example, Adora piled her plate high with food and the two walked around together to mingle. 

Once all the guests had arrived, Glimmer called attention to the glowing stone floating in its beacon. "The moon is reaching its peak!" She announced, and everyone took a moment to stop and watch.

As the moon seemed to glow brighter with each passing second, an orange tint took over. The energy shifted as it pulled at the magic in the air. Adora had never felt anything like it. She took her eyes off the moon and noticed the princesses glowing with power. She looked down at herself, noticing her own glow. "Wow." She whispered. 

Catra took her hand and smiled. "How does it feel?" 

"Kinda like our first kiss." Adora smiled, looking at Catra. "A flood of something so innocent and pure just washing over me. That magic escalated into ten times as much." 

"Pfft, please." Catra smirked. "You said our kiss was one hundred times that feeling." 

"I never said this was better." Adora grinned, giving Catra a quick kiss. "But it's powerful and pleasant." 

As the moon stood high in the sky with its orange glow, the party continued down in Brightmoon. The princesses mingled and challenged each other to games to see how strong they were. Adora was undefeated at arm wrestling. 


	7. Horns

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> They are like...12 in this one

“That’s how you know if they are a monster or not.” Lonnie informed the team of young pre-teens as they walked from the locker room towards the cafeteria. 

Kyle seemed to shrink in on himself at the mere thought. He was comforted by Rogelio’s arm pressuring his shoulder. “But how do you see it if their hair covers them?” He asked, moving to lean in against his friend. 

Lonnie scuffed in humored annoyance. “It pokes out of their hair, Kyle! Duh!” 

“What are you talking about?” Adora asked as she and Catra caught up to the group. The two had been pulled aside after their last test and reprimanded by the instructor for not taking it seriously. 

Rogelio chimed in, talking in his native tongue as they all looked at him, then all looked to Lonnie. She sighed and threw up her hands in defense. “Hey, I’m still taking the language courses, I’m not that fluent yet.” She put her hands down and shrugged. “Anyways, we were talking about how monsters have horns that grow out of their heads and that’s how you can tell. But it only happens on Halloween night.”

Catra chuckled and crossed her arms. “Maybe Shadow Weaver has her pair growing in tonight. That’s why she wasn’t present during the lesson.” She smirked, a single sharp tooth poking out. 

The group laughed as they entered the cafeteria. “It’s just a myth.” Lonnie said, grabbing a tray as they got in line. “But I wouldn’t put it past those princesses to all be growing in ugly slime horns tonight.” 

“Slimey?!” Kyle shouted in fear. “That sounds grotesque.” 

“It is.” Lonnie agreed. “But what isn’t gross about those princesses? They’re evil!” 

The team got their dinner and sat down at a table together. Adora poked at her ration bar and wondered what a princess would look like. Already scary looking beings, growing creepy horns on Halloween sounds terrifying. “You don’t suppose they get anymore powers on Halloween, do you?” Adora asked, looking up from the brown ration on her tray. 

“Please no, I don’t want to hear about others. I’m already going to have nightmares tonight!” Kyle pleaded, but was ignored. 

“Didn’t the simulator instructor tell us about their blood moon or whatever?” Catra asked, munching on her meal bordley. 

Lonnie nodded. “Oh yeah! Under a red moon that only appears tonight, they cut their hands open and pour the blood into a chalice. Once all of them have offered their blood, the queen drinks it. Then she cuts her own hand and marks their foreheads with her blood!” Lonnie made exaggerated motions of slicing her hand and then wiped her palm on Kyle’s forehead. 

He shrieked and fell off his seat as he pushed back too far. Rogelio helped him up and patted him clean as the group laughed. 

Somehow with the crazy exaggerated stories, Adora felt better. None of that could be true. Could it? The thought of horns growing out of their heads for one night seemed to plague her mind the rest of the meal. 

Once they were done, the group headed to their barrack and got into bed. Catra sat in the top corner of Adora’s bed, book open as she skimmed through the lesson. Adora lay next to her, same book held above her head but she wasn’t reading it. Catra seemed to catch on to her friends attention being elsewhere and closed her own book, tapping it on Adora’s forehead. “What’s wrong?” She asked. 

Adora batted away the offending book before closing her own and tossing it aside. “Do you think the princesses really grow horns and get more powers tonight?” She asked in a whisper, looking up at her friend. 

Rolling her eyes, Catra laughed. “Come on, you know Lonnie is just messing with us. Well, messing with Kyle really.” She looked down at Adora and smirked. “Are you scared?!” Her ears perked up in excitement. 

“What?! No!” Adora said a little too loudly, receiving shushes from those around trying to sleep. “No, I am not scared, Catra. It’s just...how much do we really know about what the princesses can and can’t do? They are magic after all.” 

Lifting the book, Catra pointed to it. “That’s why we are studying. This book exploits their weaknesses. And to be honest, I’m almost done with it, and it says nothing about them growing horns or getting more powerful on Halloween. So relax.” Catra smiled, her demeanor seeming to soften as she placed the book down. 

Letting out a sigh, Adora sat up and turned to face Catra. “You’re right. I don’t know why I couldn’t get the image of a creepy princess growing horns out of my head.” 

“It is pretty creepy.” Catra chuckled and looked around the room. Most of the cadets seemed to be in bed, sleeping already or reading their study guides. “Come on, let's go raid for Halloween treats and then scare Kyle.” 

“Oh! We should put fake horns on our heads.” Adora added excitedly as they got up. She followed Catra out of the barracks to get their Halloween candy. 

Catra laughed and agreed. “What would we use to make horns?” 

Adora thought for a moment before shrugging. “I’m sure we can find something in the kitchen. Or throw sheets over our heads like usual and just hold up our fingers to make it look like the ghost has horns.” 

“Do you think he’ll ever not fall for it?” Catra asked, pulling Adora behind a pipe to hide from the roaming security. 

“I hope not. It’s too much fun.” Adora looked around to see if the coast was clear and smiled. “Race you.” She didn’t wait for an answer before getting a head start that didn’t last very long. 

Catra passed her with ease and smiled back. “Last one there has to eat those nasty long black candies that no one likes!” 

Adora tried to gain the lead, but lost the race. Catching their breath, they raided the kitchen for candy and Adora chewed on the gross candy as they walked back. “Hey, maybe we can use these as horns. They are hard enough and easy to break.” She broke a piece into two and propped it into her hair. 

Laughing, Catra nodded and took one, breaking it into two and putting it in her hair. “Let’s go hide the treats first. Then let’s go scare him.” 

With their makeshift horns, they got a good scare out of Kyle, waking the whole floor and getting another lecture from the head instructor. 


	8. Vampire

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> this one is an AU

The rolling sound of thunder could be heard for miles. It hadn't stopped raining for three days. The crops had doubled over in their overwatered state, candles flickered in the windows as a pitiful sort of light. The townsfolk stood indoors and only came out during the day hours to gather necessities before dark. The gray tone the day carried had lingered, and now as night approached, the rain came down just as hard. 

It was superstitious to think that anyone who travelled at night was an evil spirit, destined to harm those innocent caught out after hours. At least that's what Catra has been told. Her mother wasn't the best, by far, but she was just as superstitious as the rest of the townspeople. So with night quickly approaching and no end to the rain in sight, Catra closed the door to their small house that lined the cobblestone pavement and lit a candle at the window. 

She had watched every night to see if there was anyone actually out during the dark hours, but each night brought disappointment. She craved to know, curious as can be. What if they were just normal people? What if they were the stuff of legends to stay away from? Did they look hideous? All these superstitious people and yet no one could answer a single question. It was so dumb, so she was determined to find out. 

"Catra!" A voice angrily yelled from in the house. 

Jolting at the surprise call, Catra hit her head on the top of the window as she sat upright. "Ouch!" She yelled, rubbing her head. She had not seen the candle sliding off the windowsill and onto the cobblestone outside. She heard the small clank of the iron candle holder hit the floor and looked out. "Damn." She muttered, knowing she'd have to go outside to get it. 

"Catra!" The angry voice called again. 

"I'm coming! Give me a moment!" Catra called back, reaching out and pulling the shutters closed. She patted the water off her arm that had quickly attempted to soak her sleeves from just closing the window. Moving in the small area, she entered into the kitchen that seconded as their dining area. "Yes, mother?" 

"Don't be flippant with me. Set the table, dinner is ready." Her mother ordered, stirring some contents in the pot before grabbing the handles with a towel and setting it on the table. She waited until the bowls had been set before scooping its contents in and placing the pot back on the iron stove. "Bread?" She asked, and when the other nodded, she cut a few slices and placed them on the table. 

Catra sat down and waited for her mother to do the same. There were rules, many of them, and one was they always ate together once they were both seated and ready. She watched as the woman walked and grabbed the glass jar of milk from the ice box and poured them each a glass before putting it back. She let nothing stay out of place in a superstitious fear it would go bad instantly because apparently the rain changed the temperature. 

Once seated, they both began eating. It wasn't the best food, but they were poor and Catra would not complain. Any food was better than nothing at all. She finished her bowl and bread, downed the cup of milk, and was still hungry. Which was always the case. But they needed to conserve what they had. Which means small meals to get you by. They ate in silence, so once Catra was done she stood up to clean the mess. 

"I'm off to bed. This rain makes my head throb." Her mother said, standing from the table. "Don't stay up too late. And do not go outside, Catra. I mean it." 

"Yes, mother." Catra deadpanned as she grabbed the woman's dishes and cleaned them for her.

As the older woman walked away and closed the bedroom door behind her, Catra dried off the wet dishes and placed them in their respective spots on the counter. She looked around the small area before leaving to head towards their sitting area. Looking at the window where the candle had been, Catra sighed. She had to get the iron candle holder or her mother would kill her. If she left it out there all night, either the rain would wash it away, or the first person awake in the morning to travel will take it. 

It was just a quick walk to the side of the house to grab it and then reenter. She could do that. Despite not believing in any of the legends of nightwalkers, and having attempted to see someone in the act and failing, she was a bit scared. Probably due to the fact if her mother caught her, she'd be in for a real beating. Not at all because what if the superstitions are accurate. 

Shaking her head, Catra sighed in frustration and opened the front door. She stepped outside into the rain and closed the door softly behind her. "Stupid fantasy load of crap. All of them are just scared." Catra muttered to herself as she walked around the house and picked up the iron candle holder. She smiled at the successful mission and turned back to head to the front door. 

A person stood in the way between where she currently stood and the front door. Where had they come from? The road had no one around in the short time she had left the front door to the window. "Uh, hello?" Catra called out.

The person had a hood over their head, but just from their shoes, Catra could tell this person was loaded. Those must be the most expensive shoes she'd ever seen. The robe itself was laced with intricate patterns, gold lines weaving through the design. The person reached up and took off their hood, smiling at Catra despite the rain now getting in their hair. "Hello." 

The first thing Catra realized was this was a woman. She had not been expecting that since all of the clothing Catra could see was of male attire. Pants, classy shoes, even the robe clipped at the top on the male dominated side. But the face, the voice, the stance, it was a woman. Catra then realized how bright the person's eyes were. A beautiful blue, brighter than her own one blue eye. "You're not from around here. I'd have noticed. Small town. Where do you come from?" Catra asked, well aware that they were both getting soaked from the rain but her curiosity peaked. 

"Far off from here. But recently relocated to the mountains just over the bridge." The other answered, never taking her eyes off of Catra. She took a step closer and held out her hand. "I'm Adora." 

Fumbling with the iron candle holder, Catra quickly extended her hand and accepted the greeting. "Catra. Welcome to our shitty area, I guess." Something about this woman, Catra couldn't take her eyes off of. She seemed to glow against the doom and gloom of the rain. 

Adora took the offered hand and brought it to her lips, kissing the soft wet skin just above her knuckles. "A pleasure to meet you." She released the others hand, glad it brought a blush into her cheeks. "You do not like it here?" 

Catra cleared her throat, the first bits of bone chill from the rain starting to set in and she shivered. "Not at all. A bunch of nosey old folks who dictate and accuse. Dirty rotten to the core." Catra explained. 

"Do you live alone?" Adora asked, trying to sound concerned. 

Shaking her head, Catra motioned to the house. "I live here with my mother. Also a complete agonizing part of my existence." Catra chuckled. "It'd be funny if she weren't such a terrible person." 

"She is mean to you?" Adora asked, this time the concern was real. When Catra didn't answer, Adora stood straight and offered her hand once more. "I can help you." 

"What do you mean?" Catra asked, her defenses kicking in and not reaching for the offered hand. 

Hand still extended, Adora stood with her demeanor unphased at the others defensive state. "They won't be cruel to you anymore. I can give you riches and power."

Her eyes seemed to have that brightness to them again, as if a power were coming from them alone. Catra found she couldn't look away, but she was able to speak anyways. "I don't care about riches and power. I just don't want to be hurt anymore." She countered. 

Adora's eyes seemed to hold a sadness at the words. This time, she dropped her hand for a moment and took the last few steps to the woman in front of her. She calmly reached up and placed a soft hand on Catra's cheek. For a moment, she looked into her heterochromia eyes and felt deep connection, holding onto the feeling as she spoke. "I can keep you safe." Her words were a whisper and carried on the rain. 

Suddenly, nothing else seemed to matter to Catra. But she knew this Adora wasn't human. Usually moments like this, you'd expect your senses to be screaming danger at you. Not for her. Catra wanted to go. Anything was better than where she currently was, her current boring abused life. "What are you? At least tell me that." 

Adora smiled warmly and showed her fangs with a trust. "Vampire. For a very long time." She answered. 

"Superstitions. And yet, here you are." Catra replied, a small sigh escaping in a weird sense of relief. A moment's hesitation, but it passed quickly. Catra dropped the iron candle holder and placed her hand atop Adora's that was sti rested on her cheek. "Okay." 

With a wide smile, Adora accepted the hand and led the. away from the town. "You won't regret it. This life, you're going to love it. I promise." 


End file.
